In an exciting Week-12 fixture of the ZPL National League, Kansanshi Dynamos returned to winning form with a 2-1 victory over Jumulo FC at Independence Stadium.
This win temporarily places the Mabanga Boys at the top of the standings, as they await tomorrow’s match for Konkola Blades, currently trailing by a point.
The game featured an intense battle, with both teams pressing for goals but ultimately seeing Kansanshi come out on top.
The action started early, with Mwepu nearly scoring in the 5th minute, his shot narrowly missing the target. Jumulo responded in the 14th minute, but their effort flew over the crossbar.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a Jonathan Tanganyika header off a Steven Nyirenda corner.
Kansanshi Dynamos equalized in the 26th minute with a similar play, as Tranquilin Mwepu headed in a corner delivered by Mathews Mwale.
In the 35th minute, Marcel Kalonda made a brilliant tackle to stop a Jumulo player’s advance toward Kansanshi’s 18-yard box. Just before the break, Rabson Mumba found himself with a clear chance but hesitated, choosing to pass to Dalitso, allowing the opportunity to slip away.
Both teams went into halftime level, and coach Saileti made three key substitutions for the second half: Timothy Sakala came in for Kizito Kezeron, George Chisala replaced Mathews Mwale, and Mathews Mutambo took over for Marcel Kalonda.
In the 54th minute, Kansanshi was awarded a penalty after Jumulo’s Alex Mwitwa handled the ball in the box. However, Dalitso Lungu’s penalty was saved by Jumulo’s standout goalkeeper Frank Kangwa, who put in a strong performance despite his team’s loss.
Lungu redeemed himself in the 72nd minute, scoring the winning goal after a perfect setup from Tranquilin Mwepu, giving Kansanshi a 2-1 lead.
The match wasn’t without drama, as Jumulo’s Nkumbu Mutambo was sent off in the 83rd minute after receiving a second yellow card from referee Oscar Chisha, reducing the visitors to ten men.
In added time, Kansanshi made a final substitution, introducing Kelvin Chisamba for Rabson Mumba to help see out the match.
In a post-match interview, Head Coach Zeddy Sailetiexpressed happiness with the result, praising the boys for their commitment and focus.
“The boys did very well. I’m happy with their performance, especially how the pushed after falling behind early. A penalty is always a gamble, but I’m pleased Dalitso was able to redeem himself with the winning goal.” Coach Saileti added.
The victory sees Kansanshi move to 27 points, topping the look after this week-12 fixture.
